Shift-key action for type-writers.



No. 821,262. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

. P. P. SHEPARD. SHIFT KEY ACTION FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.15, 1904 an action or touch Unrrnn srarns earner clarion.

FRANK P. SHEPARD, OF EDMOND, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR'TO THE OLIVER TYPEVVBITER COMPANY. OF CHlOAGO, lLLTNOIS. A. OOR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented may 22,1906. 7

Application filed December 15, 1904. Serial No. 236.973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. SHEPARD, a

. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edmond, in the county of Oklahoma and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Shift- Key Actions for Type-Writers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. This invention relates to improvements. in type-Writers, and more especially to the shift-key action thereof; and the invention consists inthe matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. i In many kinds of type-writing machines the writing of certain letters and characters requires the platen to be shifted from its normal position, and keys or levers having operative connection with the shifting frame which supports the paper-carriage and platen are employed for this purpose, the same being commonly known as shift-keys." These keys or lovers are commonly placed in the bank of type-keys, and their position is usually such as to require their operation by the fourth or Weaker linger of the hand. The weight and consequent inertia of the shifting frame, carriage, and platen and the non-elastic operative connection between said shifting. frame and the shift-key give to said key much heavier than that of the type-keys and tire operators having deli cate or Weak fingers. On the other hand, persons having larger and stronger fingers will force the key down in the same length of time required for depressing a type key. and will thus slam. the shifting frame against the stops that are designed to limit its shifting movement.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties above named.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a type-writing machine embodying my improvements, the type bars and keys being omitted. .Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on theline A A. of Fig. 1. Fig. 31s a.

view in side elevation of a rock-shaft, springs, and associated. constituting part (Eff/18 connection between the shift-key and shifting frame. vFigs. 4, 5, and 6 are views in elevation of parts of said rock-shaft separated from each other. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line B B of Fig. 3. v

' The type-writer shown has a base portion. 1,;a shifting frame 2, which rests movably upon the rollers 3 and supports the papercarriage 4, a platen 5, mounted in said carriage, and two shift-keys 6 and 7, having expansively-acting helical springs 23 and 9 for returning them to normal position; The parts above referred to are constructed and arranged as heretofore common in typewriting machines.

A rock-sh. ft 10 is mounted on. the base 1, the same-being arranged horizontally and transversely with respect to the shift-key levers. Said rock-shaft has operative connection with the shift-keys 6 and 7. A connecting-rod 11 extends from'an arm 12 on said rock-shaft to the shifting frame 2. The shift-keys 6 and 7 are provided with plates 14 and 15, respectively, which depend from the key-levers and have oppositely-disposed. cam-slots 16, said slots being arranged. ob liquelyor at an angle to the path of movement of the said plates. Theroclr-shaft 10 has two arms 17 and 18, which rise from the shaft and between the upper or free ends of which is mounted a roller 19, arranged par all'el with the rock-shaft. The cam-slots 16 of the plates 1-1 and are adapted to receive said roller, and as the shift-keys are depressed said. slots act to turn the rock-shaft 10 and to thereby shift the platen, the key 6 being used to shift the platen in the direction of the arrow and. the key 7 to shift it in the opposite direction. When the shift-keys are released by the finger, they return all parts to normal position in obedience to the springs 8 and 9 aforesaid. With the exception of the details of construction in the rockshaft 10 which are shown in the drawings the parts thus far described are found on rna-- chines in common use, the rock-shaft and all other operative connections between the shift-keys and platen being heretofore made positive and non-elastic in their action.

, In the present invention an elastic conned tion between the shift-hey and the shifting frame is employed, embracing a spring or springs through which iinotioirie transmitted ICO from the keg-levers to the shifting frame. In the emb'o iment of my invention which I have found practically operative and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings the elastic connection referred to is more parrigidly upon a sleeve 22 of sufficient length to give the arm a proper bearing on the spindle'21, and the two arms 17 and 18 are like- I wise mounted upon a sleeve 23 for the'same purpose, the central portion 24 of said spin-- die 21 being enlarged to be of even diameter with the said sleeves and having an integral or rigid collar 25 for purposes later'set forth. The sleeves 22 and 23 are retained in position and limited in rotative movement upon the spindle 21 by pins, (res ectively marked 26 and-'27 said pins exten ing entirely throu h said core, projectingthrough holes in t e sleeves, as shown in Fig. 7. The said holes in the sleeves 22 and 23 are elongated in a circumferential direction to allow the sleeves to turn to a limited extent on said spindle. A helical spring 28 is coiled about the "sleeve 23 and the adjacent endof the enlargement 24, one end-of said spring being secured to a pin 29, inserted in the arm 18 and the other end being likewise secured to a pin 30 in the collar 25 The said spring acts upon the sleeve 23' in such manner as to hold the art of the sleeve at one end of the slotted ho e 31 firmly against the in 27. A like helical spring 32 is coiled a out the sleeve 22 and t e adjacent portion of the enlargement 24, one end of the said spring being secured to a pin 33, inserted in the arm 12 and the other end to a like pin 34 in the collar 25. The action,0f said spring 32up0n said sleeve has the effect of holding the part of the sleeve at one end of the slotted hole 35 firmly against the pin 26. It will be noticed that the two springs 28 and 32 act upon the sleeves 22 and 23; to rotate the latter in the same direction. Now when the shift-key 6 is instantly depressed it acts against the roller 19 and revolves the sleeve 23 on the spindle 21.,against the action of the spring 28 and places the latter under tension.- Said spring then acts to turn the spindle so that it will follow up the rotative movement of the sleeve as uickly as the inertia of the shifting frame an other parts connected with the arm 12 can be overcome. 'When the shifting-key 7 is instantly depressed, the spindle 21 revolves in the sleeve 22 against the action of the sprin '32 and places the'latter under tension. spring then acts on the sleeve and its arm 12 and turns the same so that. it will follow the movement of said core as quickly as the iner- 1 ing frame and two shift-keys arranged to my: I

' The promptness and -tia of the shiftingframe and attached partsfting frame against the. action of the springs, which act to return it to its normal 1 position when; the shift-keys are released.

v uickness with which the shifting .frame wil be moved when a shift-key is depressed will manifestly-depend on the stiffness or strength of the said sprin s 28 and 32, and saids rings will be, ma e strong enough or placed under such tension as to insure the movement of the shifting frame with suitable promptn'ess. The shifting frame may begin its shifting movement under the action of one of the springs before 5' the shift-key connected. with such spring is fully depressed or shortly after said s 'ft-key' begins its downward,movement; butthe s rings will preferably be made so yielding that if a shift-key be ver quickly or forcibly struck it maybe fully epress'ed before the inertia of the shifting frame and parts carried thereby will be overcome by the action 1 of the spring. In all cases, however, the springs will be so made and adjusted that the movement of the shifting frame will follow so closely the depression'of theshift-key that the platen will be in' position to receive the impression of the type as soona's' a type-aotuatin key can be struck.

hen the machine hasonly, one shift-key and the platen shifts only in one direction from its normal position, o'neof the springs 28 or 32 may be dispensed with and its sleeve be a part of or be secured ri idly to the spindle 21. The springs 28:an -32 shouldbe of such length and character that their force will not noticeably or materially increase as the sleeves are turned to place them under tension; Thus the-'shift-keys can be instantly and fully depressed without waiting to overcome the inertia of the platen without any key bein experienced as it is depressed and Without iability of throwing the shifting frame so forcibly against the stops designed to limit their shifting movement as to" produce any injury to the parts.

Itwill be seen that by the use of the imconsiderable increase in the resistance of the provements described the shift-keys will 'have an action more nearly like that of the type-keys, that their'fulldepression may be made in the time re uired for the depression of the type-bars, an that the shifting frame inmoving to its shifted position can never 7 gain more momentum than can be imparted to it by the springs 28 and 32 and cannot injure itself or the stops. Y I claim as my invention v 1-'. In a type-writer of the double-shift type, the combination with a platen, a shiftmove the shifting frame in opposite directions from its central position and connections between each of said shift-keys and the shifting frame embracing two members which have limited relative movement, and springs applied to said members and holding the same yieldingly at one limt of such relative movement. a

2. In a type-writer, the combination with a platen, shifting carriage and shift-key, of an elastic connection between the shift-key and shifting frame, comprising two concentrically-mounted rocking arms one of which is actuated by the shift-key and the other of which is'connected with the shifting frame,

and a spring yieldingly connecting said arms with each other.

3. In a type-writer; the combination with a. platen, shifting frame and shift-key, of a connection between .the shift-key and shifting frame, comprising two concentricallymounted rocking arms one of which is actu- :ated by the shift-key and the other of which is connected with the shifting frame, and a coiled spring, "the opposite ends of which are connected with said rocking arms.

.14. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a platen, shifting frame and shift-key, of a connection between the shiftkey and the shifting frame embracing a rock-shaft rovided with two rocking arms, one of whic has limited rocking movement on the shaft, one of said arms being actuated by the shift-key and the other being connected with the shifting frame, and a coiled spring surrounding the shaft and connected at its ends with said arms.

, 5. ha type-writer, the combination with a platen, a shifting frame which shifts in both directions from a central position and two shift-keys, of connecting means between the shift-keys and y the shifting framr embracing a rock-shaft provided with two rocking arms, both of-which have limited-rocking movement on the shaft,one of said arms be ing adapted for actuation by the shift-keys and the other being connected with the shifting frame, and two coiled springs each of which is connected at one end with one of said arms and at its opposite end with the said rock shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I a'l'IiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of November,

FRANK P. SHEPARD.

Witnesses;

C. R. DAY, J. III-IUBBLE. 

